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 November 20, 2008Your advice is needed: the llllittle piecesDear internet & blog friends, I need your help. I have an almost 3 year old toddler Monkey, and a 10 month old VERY mobile baby, Roo.
Now, Monkey is starting to play with toys made for children for 3 year old's and ABOVE. The thing is, toys for children UNDER two do not contain small parts because of the choking hazard. Because children UNDER two cram anything in their mouths, especially little colored choking hazards. But toys for children ABOVE 3 can have many little parts and/ or breakable parts (depending on the quality). See where I'm going? If you have (had) a toddler and a very mobile baby, how do (did) you make sure your baby doesn't get hold of the toddler toys? Sure, I have explained to Monkey that Roo can't play with all his toys and that he needs to clean things up when he's done playing. But he is too young to be responsible. This is really a big concern to me. Choking hazards. And to be honest, I am quite anal about it too. Have been, since the day Monkey was born. I've thrown away toys, have a box filled with little pieces and gifts that are really too small for Monkey. And (oooooh bad mom) have taken away gifts (not thrown away, I've kept them) that where really for 3 years and up. I can get really cranky about choking hazard toys. But now he's getting older, and more ready to play with them. And he really is done with the rattle. How did you do it? Or have you ever seen a great solution to the problem? Your advice is GREATLY appreciated! Posted at 8:25 PM
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Can you entice Monkey into playing with his toys that are for older kids in his bedroom and not in the living room? Make that space a baby-friendly space?
What about one of those bottomless playpen things. You can make them into any shape and are quite useful. I used one to block off a corner of the living room for Toddler toys. Monkey will be able to get to his toys, but Roo is safe from the small pieces.
Mia has some toys that she knows she can only play with if Owen is either sleeping or I am holding him. Sometimes she chooses for me to hold him - or take him to another room - and plays by herself and sometimes she waits so I can play with her. We tried to put all the "big girl" toys in her room, but she loves to have Owen play in her room, so that didn't work.
I put all of my 3 yr old's "Big girl" toys in her room. I've sold her on the fact that her room is her special princess place and that she has her own special toys. When she wants a break and wants to play with the dreaded polly pockets she can do that.